The three women were
close friends in the 26th, where Paige served as an S-2 (Intelligence) in the
Battalion Landing Team (BLT) Headquarters and Headquarters & Service Company, Sue in
the Reconnaissance Platoon of the 2nd Battalion/6th Marine Regiment
(BLT 2/6); and Melody in the “Black Knights” of the Marine Medium Helicopter
Squadron (Reinforced) 264 (HMM-264), all stationed in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
All three had every
intention of being career Marines, especially Paige, whose father was the 26th
commander before becoming the aide to the Marine Commandant in the Pentagon prior to his
retirement two years ago. But Paige never
counted on meeting Jalal al Din, a wealthy Westernized prince, while visiting Saudi Arabia, or on falling in love, resigning her
commission to marry, and having a baby boy, Jand, all in the next thirteen months.
Paige also never
counted on Jala’s highest vizier, a fundamentalist Islamic follower named Inaldzik,
murdering her husband, framing her for the crime, sentencing her to be executed, and
stealing her son on Jand’s first birthday.
It is obvious to
everyone but Islamic extremists in the S.A. that Paige is innocent; however, America’s diplomatic response is that it will not
interfere with the domestic affairs of any of its allies.
Enter Sue and
Melody, who AWOL from Camp Lejeune to rescue Paige, with some unexpected help
from Jala’s fundamentalist brother, Alal ad Din, captain of the royal guard. Alal is anti-Western, but he is more loyal to his
family than his brother’s murderer. When
it becomes obvious that rescuing Jand is impossible, Alal swears an oath that he will
watch over the boy for Paige.
Back in America, it takes every ounce of influence Johndale
Bard has to prevent Sue and Melody from being dishonorably discharged and thrown in
prison. As it is the two are honorably
discharged. Meanwhile, Inaldzik is demanding
Paige be extradited to Jalal’s old principality for immediate execution. This time the American government does not need any
influence from Paige’s father to prod them into telling Inaldzik, “That
ain’t gonna happen, pal.”
This leaves our
characters in a Mexican standoff. Inaldzik has
no intention of freeing Jand, and the American government will not interfere in what it
perceives is a domestic affair. Paige cannot
return to Jalal’s old principality without setting off an international incident; or,
if she does and she is captured, she will certainly be killed on sight. All either side can do is wait for the other side
to blink.
Until then, Inaldzik
uses the world’s underground fundamentalist Islamic network to keep tabs on Paige,
waiting for—and occasionally trying to take advantage of—opportunities to
capture Paige and return her to his sphere of power.
At the same time,
Paige, along with Melody and Sue, accept her father’s offer to join his small
D.C.-based security agency, SHAKESPEARE AND COMPANY.
THE
PROPOSAL:
Paige, Sue, and
Melody transform S&CO into an international security company. To the public, Shakespeare’s company provides
security for the wealthy and protection for the powerful.
If a Hollywood super-producer needs a military adviser, and
wants to generate heat by recruiting beautiful and high profile personnel, he hires
S&CO. And, in exchange for sensitive
intelligence information from Jalal’s old principality, S&CO agrees to freelance
for the U.S. government on unique and sensitive covert
missions.
Paige, Sue, and
Melody travel the world, and sometimes even save it, as they participate in one exciting
adventure after another. But all the while
S&CO search for a way to return Jand to Paige, while dodging Inaldzik’s attempts to capture Paige in a
deadly game of international cat-and-mouse.
ODDS
AND ENDS:
About Sue
Jacobs: The granddaughter of Arab immigrants,
Sue’s father served in the Marines during Vietnam. A
pudgy underachiever with a cynical wit prior to joining the Marines (to earn tuition for
journalism school), she took to the Marines like a duck to water. By the end of her first tour Sue had trimmed down
to 108 lbs. of muscle, graduated as an 8541, and earned black belts in karate and judo. She is a no-nonsense person on the outside, but
still retains her cynical, wisecracking personality. Sue
just tries hard to keep this side locked up inside her, afraid if she lets it out she will
revert to the underachiever she used to be.
About Melody Lisbon: A
born pilot and motorhead, Melody is actually in love with Johndale Paige. He claims not to be interested in a May-December
romance, but never tells Melody he does not feel the same.
Some FYI about
the Marines quoted from Tom Clancy’s Marine:
“MOS
8541—Scout/Sniper: This is the famous
eight-week course that turns a Marine into the most deadly shooter in the U.S. arsenal, an 8541 Scout/Sniper. With a 40% dropout rate, it is one of the toughest
courses in the U.S. military.
Once a Marine completes this course, he is qualified to be assigned to a
Scout/Sniper platoon in a MEU (SOC) or other unit.”
“MOS
2112—Gunsmith: This is, perhaps, the most
traditional course in the Weapons Training Battalion curriculum. It is designed to make a Marine into a completely
qualified machinist and gunsmith. You would
likely find a 2112 in every MEU (SOC), regiment, or major training base in the Corps. More than a course, it is a virtual apprenticeship. The first six months are spent teaching trainees to
build their own tools and jigs. After that,
they learn everything from welding broken parts to turning blacks into rifle parts.”
“Marines
are not limited to taking and qualifying on just one of [any] MOS courses. During a Marine’s career he may qualify for
many MOS codes.”
